Box-fastener.



PATENTED- MAY 15, 1906.

H. c.-- SUMMERS. BGX FASTENER.

APPLIOATIQN FILED SEPT. l, 1905.

Inventor,

Attorneys.

Witnesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOX-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed September 1, 1905. Serial No. 276,754.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, 'HENRY G. SUMMERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Townsend, in the county of Broadwater and State of Montana, have invented a new and useful Box-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

. This invention relates to box-fasteners.

The object of the invention is to provide a box adapted more particularly for use in shipping bottled beer, having a novel form of cover-fastening means combined therewith by the use of which the employment of hinges for securing the cover to the box is ob viated, and, further, in which the cover, when the fastener is positioned, will be caused tightly to rest upon the edges of the body of the box, and thus prevent any movement of the lid relatively thereto or the es capement of any of the contents therefrom.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a box constructed in accordance with the present invention and adapted to receive the fastener, hereinafter described. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through the box, showing the manner in which the cover is combined therewith. Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation.

The body of the box embodies, as usual, sides 1, ends 2 and 3, a bottom 4, and a cover or top 5.

For the purpose of reinforcing the box and rendering the connection between the sides and ends of increased stability corner and end braces or reinforces 6 and 7 are employed, which are made of angle metal and are secured to the respective parts by rivets or nails 8. These reinforces are shown in the drawings as somewhat exa gerated as to thickness, it being understoo that they will in reality be made of heavy sheet metal.

The cover 5 has secured to its under side and inset some distance from its terminals a pair of cleats 9, the ends of which are preferably rounded to facilitate their insertion into the crate, and each is provided intermediate of its ends with an orifice 10, which is adapted to be engaged by the locking member 11, that is preferably constructed of a bar of metal and tapers gradually from one end to the other. As herein shown, the cover is disconnected from the box, as hinges are not essential but it will be understood that if pre-. ferred it may be secured to the box in the ordinary manner and still be within the scope of the invention.

Arranged at the terminals of the cleats and extending toward the ends of the cover are stops 12, the function of which is to prevent any endwise movement of the cover relatively to the box, to secure which result they are inset a sufficient distance just to pass by the inner sides of the ends when being positioned. The employment of the stops is rendered necessary by the fact that the cleats are inset quite a distance from the ends of the cover, this for the purpose of reinforcing the latter and preventing it from yielding to pressure, and by being thus disposed there will be nothing to revent endwise movement were it not for t e provision of the stops but as will be apparent the stops may be dispensed with and the cleats moved out a sufficient distance to cause them, when the cover is positioned, to bear against the inner surfaces of the ends, and thus secure the objects sought. v

Each end of the box is provided with an orifice 13 and 14,-respectively, the latter orifice being larger than the former in order to accommodate the larger end of the locking member.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, the orifices 10 in the cleats 9 are of greater diameter than the parts of the locking member with which they coact, the bottoms of the orifices 10 being slightly above the like parts of the orifices 13, and by this arrangement when the locking member is positioned, as shown in Fig. 2, there will be a downdraft exerted upon the cleats which will cause the cover to be forced tightly down against the upper edges of the sides and ends, and thus securely hold it in place. The end of the box adjacent to the orifice 14 is provided with a recess 16, in which is arranged a staple 17, that is disposed normally flush or is slightly inset from the end 3, so as not to present an obstruction, and this sta le is adapted to be engaged by a hasp 18, (0 early shown in Fig. 8,) which will lie within the recess, aseal 19 of the usual or any preferred construction being employed, if found necessary, to hold the hasp against disconnection from the staple.

To secure the locking member 11 against removal, a lock 20 is employed, which is se cured to the inner side of the end 3 of the box and in position to permit its bolt to engage a groove 21 in the locking member, the said end being provided with a keyhole 22, by which access to the lock may be effected. By preference the bolt of the lock will be spring pressed, so that when the locking member is positioned it will automatically engage with the groove or seat 21, and thus be locked in position without the necessity of employing a key for the purpose.

To facilitate handling the box, the same is provided in each end with a transverse slot or seat 23, or in lieu of these ordinary handles may be combined with the box.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that although the improvements herein defined are simple in character they will be thoroughly effective in use for the purpose designed and will result in efiecting a positive positioning of the cover against the box and its holding it against detachment therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A box having two opposite members provided with orifices, a cover provided with attached elements having orifices to aline with those in the box members, and a detached locking member insertible through the two sets of orifices and adapted to exert a downward pressure upon the cover thereby to cause it tightly to engage with the box.

2. A box having two opposite members provided with orifices, a cover provided with cleats having orifices to aline with those in the box members, and a detached tapered locking member insertible through the two sets of orifices.

3. A box having two of its members provided with orifices of different diameters, a cover carrying cleats provided with orifices slightly larger in diameter than those in the box members and alining therewith, and a tapered locking member adapted to engage the two sets of orifices.

4. A box having two of its members pro vided with orifices, in combination with a cover having cleats provided with orifices alining with those in the members, stops secured to the cover on the outer sides of the cleats to hold the cover against endwise movement, and a detached locking member insertible through the two sets of orifices.

5. A box having two of its members provided with orifices, one of the orifices having a recess adjacent thereto and with a staple seatedin the recess, a cover having cleats provided with orifices adapted to aline with those in the members of the box, and a locking member adapted to engage the two sets of orifices and provided with a hasp to engage the staple.

6. A box having two of its members provided with orifices, a cover having cleats provided with orifices adapted to register with those of the members, a detached tapered locking member insertible through the two sets of orifices, and means for locking the rgiember against movement relatively to the 7. A box having two of its members provided with orifices, a cover having cleats provided with orifices adapted to register with those of the members, a tapered locking member adapted to engage the two sets of orifices and provided near one end with a circumferential seat, and a lock secured to the inner side of one of the ends and positioned to have its bolt engage the said seat.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY o. SUMMERS. 

